Improved Determination of Total Serum Lipids by the Sulfo-Phospho-Vanillin Reaction

We have modified and improved a colorimetric method for determining total serum lipids [Amer. J. Clin. Pathol. 53, 89 (1970)]. The improved procedure requires only 20 µl of serum, and the entire determination is done in one tube, thus eliminating the tedious pipetting of a concentrated sulfuric acid-serum digest. The phospho-vanillin reagent has been modified so that the linearity of the method now extends to 1250 mg/dl. Concentrations up to 1240 mg/dl or of bilirubin up to 20 mg/dl in the serum do not interfere. The relative standard deviation for the method (day-to-day) is 4.9%.